That's true, a lot of these stories had some meaning to it. They are meant to teach children something, either a lesson or discipline them. At the same time some of them they actually believed and tried to make us also believe the same thing. My Granny was full of these myths, and trust me it was not for discipline sake, it was actually what she believed and she had passed it on to my mother also. Some times now also my mom believes in these things and tells me, and then I question her in return for which she has no answers.